Liverpool Still Targeting Top Four Finish

Leicester City topping the table early in the season was a nice story, but nearly everybody assumed the Foxes would begin to fade away eventually. Now into February, they’re still sat top of the Premier League, and even a monumental collapse likely wouldn’t be enough to rob them of a Champions League berth.

One of the few sides that have beaten them so far have been Liverpool. In fact, Liverpool became only second side to beat Leicester in the Premier League when they won at Anfield in December. The other was Arsenal, who beat them at King Power Stadium at the end of September. Those two blemishes aside, Leicester have always earned at least a point.

"It was a tough game against them," said Dejan Lovren of the win at Anfield. "They have been first in the table and we were fighting against them. It was a deserved win. But now it’s the same thing again, and we just need to continue to play well. They are a team playing on the counter-attack and it will definitely be tough, but I’m confident in the team and our players."

Even if Leicester struggle in the latter stages of the season, it may not be enough for Liverpool and the other top four aspirants currently looking in from the outside. Having earned 47 points so far, even relegation form and a point per game from here on out would see the Foxes end up with a respectable 62 points. Manchester United, currently sat fifth, are on pace for 61.

It will be a long, tough, and unlikely road to catch the unlikely league leaders, and that’s even if they start to fall apart. For their part, though, all Liverpool’s players can do is make sure they earn all three points again tonight and narrow the gap a little bit—on the likes of Tottenham and United at least as much as on tonight's opponents. Leicester, though, have earned their role as favourites.

"Hopefully we will do it again there," he added. "We know it will be tough but it’s a great opportunity for us to take a step forward and show everyone we deserve to be in the top four at the end. They are a consistent team, which is important. If you want to be at the top, you need to be consistent. They are doing well and it will be a tough game but we know our qualities.

"We definitely need to be smart against them because they have so many good and talented players. They haven’t had many injuries this season and I think that’s also one of the points why they’re still at the top."